Advice on Restoring a Trimmed AF15 0

[Foosman]

I just joined the AF15 club with this trimmed 1.0. The cover is attached with tape on the interior, and the back cover has a clipped coupon.  Otherwise (and I know that is a big “otherwise”) I think it is a nice looking book. I plan to keep it.  (Those vertical lines you see on the cover are a reflection of my shirt.  The cover is very clean.)  CGC show no resto, just the trim bottom and right.

Since the book will always get a PLOD (no way to fix the trim after all) I am considering making it the best purple it can be.  My primary goal is to have the tape removed and the cover reattached with staples.  It seems like it would increase maybe to a 2.0 or better if I had the tape removed, staples replaced, and piece added.  (I would keep the name written in marker....)  Maybe have the pencil in the M removed and a piece replaced on the speech bubble near the spine.  I don’t want it to look synthetic but don’t mind sprucing it up especially if I have the tape removed.  Is a 2.0 a reasonable expectation?

Any advice?  Should I just leave it alone, or is there a chance the tape stain would eventually leak through?  Would I need a donor book to have the coupon and staples replaced?  (I actually bought a Patsy Walker with the same back cover in case I went this direction. Too bad the inside of that book is women’s weight loss and not men’s weight loss like the AF. Whoops.)  I do not like the idea of killing a perfectly good donor book but for this I may make an exception.

Thanks in advance. I have wanted this book my entire life and am happy to finally be in the game. 

 

[chrisco37]

I'd leave it alone.  

[Get Marwood & I]

Leave....the book....alone 

 

 

 

 

Sorry, I couldn't find a Wanderers gif that worked 

[Foosman]

I am sensing an early theme.  Maybe I will put that money into more comics instead.  Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it.

[chrisco37]

The cost to improve it will be prohibitive, especially considering you can't repair the trimming.   And, it's a nice looking copy.   I don't see any real benefit to spending the money.  

[Get Marwood & I]

34 minutes ago, Foosman said:

I am sensing an early theme.  Maybe I will put that money into more comics instead.  Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it.

It's a nice looking copy and you'll be the envy of many for having it. Welcome on board Foosman 

[Tony S]

I would send pictures to a couple of restoration services for estimates. I think the book could easily improve well past 2.0 with professional restoration. The question is the cost. It is entirely possible that it would cost more to restore it to a middle grade than a middle grade restored is worth. But you won't know until you ask for estimates. 

I am not certain that it is true that you cannot "fix" the trim with restoration. The book could be leaf-casted to replace the missing paper that was trimmed off, color touched and re-trimmed to the original size. It would be - fundamentally -  no different than replacing the missing cut out coupon or any chipping from the cover. 

I've used Mike at Hero restoration and was very happy with the results.  And there is of course CGC's own in house restoration service CCS. Other professional restoration services include the Restoration Lab and Eclipse Paper conservation. 

The real issue is cost, not what can be done. Ask the professionals for their opinion on what can be done and cost.  

 

[oldrover]

18 hours ago, chrisco37 said:

I'd leave it alone.  

 

18 hours ago, Get Marwood & I said:

Leave....the book....alone 

 

18 hours ago, chrisco37 said:

The cost to improve it will be prohibitive, especially considering you can't repair the trimming.   And, it's a nice looking copy.   I don't see any real benefit to spending the money.  

Wise counsel here. Ignore it...

 

 

...at your own peril.